The Netherlands is one of the few countries where chlorine is not used at all, neither for primary disinfection nor to maintain a residual disinfectant in the distribution network. The Dutch approach that allows production and distribution of drinking water without the use of chlorine while not compromising microbial safety at the tap, can be summarized as follows: 1. Use the best source availa...

Food safety related to the consumption of animal-derived protein encompasses a wide variety of production and processing procedures which begins with the farm and inputs to the animals on the farm (e.g. feed and water) and includes the environment in which animals are reared. Hazards may be physical, artificial or naturally-occurring chemicals, organisms which cannot reproduce outside a specifi...

Correct and rapid identification of microorganisms is the key to the success of many important applications in health and safety, including, but not limited to, infection treatment, food safety, and biodefense. With the advance of mass spectrometry (MS) technology, the speed of identification can be greatly improved. However, the increasing number of microbes sequenced is challenging correct mi...

Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean product that provides a major source of protein. In this study, a total of 18 different home-made doenjang samples were examined for the presence of foodborne pathogens and the total aflatoxin levels. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess microbial quality and potential public health risk, we showed that total coliform levels in ...

Aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) treatment was used for the inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken. Chicken breasts and legs were inoculated with 8~9 log CFU/g of Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni, respectively, and then treated with 0, 50, and 100 ppm of ClO2 solution. Aqueous ClO2 treatment decreased the populations of the pathogenic bacteria o...

Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) and oil compounds usually have a relatively high vapor pressure and are capable of reaching microbial pathogens through the liquid and the gas phase. Bioactivity of EOs in the vapor phase makes them useful as possible fumigants for stored commodity protection. The use of edible films as carriers of natural antimicrobials constitutes an approach for external pr...